1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roadway system for model vehicles with an energy-independent propulsion, e.g., a battery or other energy-independent power supply, propulsion as well as a steering axle, where the model vehicles follow a driving wire laid directly beneath the roadway with the help of a magnet.
2. Description of the Related Art
The related art involves roadway systems for model vehicles that are outfitted with an energy-independent electric motor are known and are based on the model vehicles having a steering axle and following a driving wire laid directly beneath the roadway with the help of a magnet. The vehicles are outfitted with an independent power supply for the propulsion, such as a battery or a rechargeable battery, and can move independently on the given driving stretch until the battery for the power supply is exhausted. The roadway systems designed for this can be controlled by means of functional elements, and the vehicles can be individually halted and started again or also steered to different lanes or parking places, etc. in a limited manner.
The corresponding roadways are constructed by individual milling of grooves, followed by laying of the driving wire, covering up the driving wire with filler, and then painting the roadway. Another option is to use a so-called box roadway, for which box segments are available that have pre-punched grooves for laying the driving wires, which are then covered by gluing on special roadway foils. In addition, roadway systems made from plastic roadway parts are known, in which the special driving wire is already integrated into the plastic profile.
CH 278 624 A, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, describes a toy that comprises a vehicle that can move independently on a trackless driving bed. An iron wire is embedded in the driving bed and enters into an active connection with a control magnet for the vehicle, while the vehicle itself can be propelled by an electric motor. The driving bed can also be composed of separate pieces, which are held together by means of clips.
DE 296 15 745 U1, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, describes a modular road system for magnetically driven model cars, in which pieces of road, stopping places and junctions can be put together to construct or take apart a road system in the shortest possible time.
Those of skill in the art recognize that the systems and solutions used thus far have drawbacks, including the drawback that they leave too little room for an individual configuring of the course of the road, which also holds especially for the systems with prefabricated segments, although they have the benefit of being constructed with relatively little expense.
Unfortunately, the individual cutting of grooves in a corresponding base surface, on the other hand, is time consuming, costly, and also presents the user with the problem, in particular, that the choice of the correct radii for negotiating curves and the functional installation of driving wire and functional elements involve difficulties, large equipment expenditure, and frequent mistakes.
The problem of the present invention is thus to offer a roadway system that does not have the above-mentioned problems and enables comprehensive adaption to the use-challenges identified in the related art.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved roadway system for model vehicles.